Temptation Waits
by LaydeeBear
Summary: Nick's trying to tempt Sara over to the dark side Muahhahaha okay I suck at summaries. Silly fluff really, hopefully cute! Nick and Sara. CHAPTER 4 IS UP FINALLY! DISCLAIMER: Don't know 'em don't own 'em and DEF not makin any money!
1. In which it all begins

**A/N: **Hey this is something that came to me on the tube going to college, not sure if it's going anywhere and it IS a little weird but hey I wanted to see where it took me. Any comments etc? Please let me know what you think!  
Ta!  
**A/N: 12/11/05 **Stupid fanfic didn't realise it took my dividers out so this is jsut an edited version with the dividers back in, otehrwise it looks lie one big continuous thing grr!

Temptation Waits

Sara realised for the first time that her breath was loud and ragged and pressed her lips together in the hopes of calming it. She felt Nick's warm breath on her neck and pressed her lips tighter together. It was minutes, seconds even and his eyes flickered closed momentarily, she felt her body inexplicably lean forward onto his lips. This one small action seemed to start off a chain reaction; Nick's hand on her waist, his other on her neck pulling her forward his lips now firmly attached to her neck. She let out a long shuddering sigh and her eyes snapped shut as she let her head tilt backwards allowing him more access. He kissed her neck a few times before parting his lips and flicking his tongue out over her smooth milky skin.

Another shudder.

She knew she should move, stop him, but truthfully she didn't want to. There were still thoughts and fears niggling at her and she pushed them as far down as they would go, under the voice that kept telling her that this felt good. Nick sucked gently on her neck, moving slowly round and nudging her chin up again. Sara complied easily, moaning quietly, her body turning to jelly under his hands as he reached up and released her hair clip allowing her hair to fall freely over her shoulders. His hand was lost in the small sparse curls, massaging her head, tugging gently at her tresses whilst his lips continued their assault on her.

Licking.

Nipping.

Sucking.

Her eyes rolled back and she was thankful that they were closed and he couldn't see the effect he was having on her. Both of Nick's hands were on her neck now and his kisses were moving further up, over her cheek. Sara's body responded once again, her head turning to the side as she felt his lips on the corner of her mouth and before she had the chance to think their lips were crashing against each other.

This was insane.

There were other hands now, on Nick's shoulders, his abs, under his shirt.  
Shit they were hers.  
God his skin felt so good. Warm and smooth.  
She drew back startled, it was all well and good when she could convince herself that it was all Nick but it shocked her the way her body was reacting. A frown crossed Nick's features as Sara pushed away, her chest rising and falling heavily as she forced air back into her lungs.  
"Sara…"  
"Nick…" She returned shaking her head.  
"What?" He asked touching the back of his hand to his lips.  
"This…." She began.  
"This is…" Nick prompted for the answer.  
"This is wrong."  
As soon as the last syllable fell from her lips she immediately wished she hadn't spoken.  
He looked hurt.  
"Why is it?" He asked, his eyes searching her face.  
At this Sara frowned. Suddenly she couldn't think.

Why was it wrong again?

She stared back at Nick hoping an answer would come to her.  
God he was hot, standing there just staring back. His arms hung loosely at his sides, his biceps covered by one of those tight T-shirts that he always wore, the ones the never failed to drive her crazy, the ones that showed his perfectly sculpted chest that only came from spending hours at the gym. And those jeans, that hugged his ass in all the right places.  
Sara realised that she hadn't spoken in about 10 seconds, she also realised that she was now staring at Nick's crotch.

As she broke from her reverie, she saw that Nick's eyebrows were raised and one hand was leaning on the kitchen counter top.  
"We work together." She spluttered. Okay definitely not the best excuse but it was the only one she could come up with in 10 seconds.  
He chuckled, "Well that's original." He told her.  
"Grissom would flip." She said quickly.  
If it was at all possible, Nick's eyebrows raised even higher. "Even better, I gotta tell ya Sidle, I'll give you points for that one." His voice oozed sarcasm.  
She stared at him again. God he was so infuriating sometimes.  
Nick smirked, "Anything else? Maybe your cat hates Texans…"

So infuriating.

He smirked again.

God he was so sexy.

"I don't have a cat." She said trying her best to sound annoyed.  
"Well then there's no more problems standing in our way." He told her moving another step towards her. Sara jumped back again and he stopped moving, "You don't want me?" He asked his arms out to the side.  
"I…" Sara couldn't stop staring at him, she shook her head slowly and her eyes dropped to his lips. When she brought her gaze back up he had moved even closer.  
"I want you so much." He said, his voice husky. He moved until his chest met hers but Sara shook her head and stepped back yet again making a small noise as her back hit the wall. Nick went with her and lent a hand on the wall either side of her head dipping his head, his nose touching her cheek; "I want you." He repeated once more, quieter this time.  
"We're friends." She murmured trying desperately not to breathe in his cologne but it was difficult, the closer he got the stronger it was and she couldn't help but sigh and lean towards his touch as he brought his hand to her cheek.  
"Sara." He said, his voice quiet and questioning.  
"We're friends." She reiterated, "It would ruin everything."  
Nick was now rubbing his thumb across her eyebrow, his hand cupping her cheek. Her eyes fell to his lips again, watching them as he talked. "It won't if we don't let it." As he spoke he brought his lips nearer to hers. They hovered for a few seconds and Sara knew that there was no going back from this if he moved those extra few millimetres

He did.

His lips were softer than before and as he deepened the kiss he slid his body up against hers. She closed her eyes and her arms came up to drape around his neck…

* * *

Maybe now is a good time to explain some things. I'm sure more than one of you is sat there thinking; what the hell is going on?  
Well see here's the thing…  
Sara and I.  
We… well we've been dancing around things for weeks and truthfully it's kind of well hard, see we're sent out on this case and, okay Grissom sent us out on a case. The two of us. Hey we work well together, I'd put us together too, but anyway that's beside the point.  
He sent us out on a case and the whole way there in the Tahoe we bitched and moaned like there was no tomorrow. Yet again we got the softball, Warrick and Catherine were out on a double homicide and what did we get?  
An arson in a club. Arson over murder, that sucked man not that don't love our jobs, we do but come on? What criminalist would pick an arson over a double homicide? Especially after a week of long boring shifts where it appeared all the criminals of Las Vegas were on vacation.  
But anyway we took the case and found ourselves down in the basement room, hard-hats, clumpy boots, jump-suits, face masks. We looked hot.  
That last comment was sarcastic by the way.  
We looked like freaks but hey that went with the job right? We stood staring around the scene in our 'costumes' trying our best to ignore the smell and the creaks and noises the building was making in protest of the night's activities.

* * *

"Hey Nick I think there's accelerant over here." Sara said motioning him over her turned round just in time to see her still bent over, pushing strands of hair back behind her ears.

She was so gorgeous and she didn't even know it.

He sighed and walked over to her pausing as he heard an exceptionally loud creak followed by the sound of splintering wood. He looked up slightly wary but when the noise stopped he grabbed his radio; "Hey guys this is CSI Stokes we're down in the basement and I really don't like the sou..."  
His radio blipped to life, "Sorry CSI our fault we're just moving a few things." There was laughter and someone shouting and Nick sighed shaking his head.  
"At least someone's having fun huh?" He muttered to Sara.  
The slim brunette smirked whilst bending down to pick something up. "What?" He asked.  
"Nothing." She answered simply with a small shrug.  
That one small movement was so adorable that Nick had to fight hard not to press her against the blackened smoke stained wall and relieve her of her clothing. He broke away from his reverie as more laughter resonated down the stairs followed by yet another thud and again more laughter. A few splinters of wood fell from the wooden staircase onto Nicks chest.  
"God damn it!" He shouted walking back over to Sara who was once again smirking to herself.  
"Okay Sidle what is it?" He grouched.  
"Nothing." She insisted doing nothing to hide the even bigger smirk on her face. He reached her and prodded her in the side causing her to yelp and jump a foot away, "Nick!"  
"Then tell me!" He said  
"It's nothing!" She repeated for the third time. Nick raised his eyebrows and moved forwards again, "Okay, okay, you're funny is all."  
"I'm funny?" He asked disbelievingly.  
"Okay _it's_ funny." She corrected.  
Nick was even more confused now, "What is?"  
"You getting pissed off.  
Nick shook his head, "I'm not pissed off."  
Another thump and this time a few bits of concrete and plaster clattered down onto Sara's head. Sara looked up at the ceiling and frowned then looked back down seeing Nick bring the radio up again, "Guy's would you cut the bs already?" Sara rolled her eyes and leaned over speaking into the radio, her thumb pressed over his on the 'talk' button. Nick was stunned into silence by being in such close proximity to her, he watched her lips move as she talked.  
"Hey guys this is CSI Sidle, we're down in the basement, the structural surveyor cleared this place right?"  
"Yeah Sidle all clear..."  
"But the ceiling..." She tried.  
"It was all clear."  
The comment seemed pretty final so she sighed and released the button along with Nick's finger. She looked up at Nick and smiled raising her eyebrows, "Well I guess that's settled." She told him, "Shall we?"  
"Shall we what?" He asked still very aware that she was so close.  
"Do this?" She said.  
He suddenly came back to his senses, "Do what?" He asked wiggling his eyebrows.  
"Nick!" She moaned, her cheeks turning a little pink, try as she might she couldn't stop herself laughing along with Nick. Their laughter ended abruptly with the ceiling making a loud groaning noise. "Okay Nick please can we just get this done and leave?"

* * *

Five minutes and a huge catastrophe later there was a whole lot of rubble around us and we were stuck in a corner under the staircase.  
I hasten to add, a very small corner.

Okay now I know what you're thinking, in that kind of situation you just don't think about this kind of uhh 'stuff', but hey they had assured us that we weren't in any more danger and that they were working on getting us out.  
What could we do?  
Well we did the only thing that was practical; we sat and waited.  
Sat, cramped up in the corner, sorry in the very **small** corner.  
So right I know this sounds whiny and albeit kind of pathetic but I'm a man (yeah I'm perceptive huh?) But see I can't curl myself up too good and well Sara? Sara's a woman and she **had** just cut her head.  
So being the man that I am, testosterone came pounding through like a huge black stallion in an old western... basically i tried to control the situation, I did the only thing I could with the space provided and a mildly concussed Sara. That is to say I sat her in between my legs and tried to stop the cut bleeding. Now I may have just mentioned this but I feel it is something that needs emphasising;

I am a man.  
Sara is a woman.  
A woman that I'd had a pretty sizeable crush on for quite a while. I mean anyone with even half a brain should be able to guess that this was a recipe for disaster. Right?

I was only cleaning the cut, it wasn't even a sexy cut. Not that there is such a thing as a sexy cut unless I suppose you were an unhinged psychotic type of person, which I am not, but anyway, there was nothing sexy about the situation at all.  
Nothing.  
In fact? I wasn't even thinking about it.  
That was until Sara closed her eyes in this really kind of sexy way (yes I realise she was concussed and probably a little drowsy but it **did **look sexy) she leaned into me promptly sticking her hand on my leg right near my groin. Needless to say I did not have a cat in hells chance of covering up an erection that felt the size of Texas. (Of course I realise that this is a physical impossibility but I needed a comparison and it was the first that came to mind, I am not delusional I know it's not that big but hey it's not exactly small and well anyway...).

Here we were sat in this cramped corner...

* * *

"Um, Nick?"  
"Yeah?" He asked uncomfortably.  
"You uh..." Sara's face was slowly going pink, her eyes fixated on his knee.  
"I know." He said curtly.  
There was the briefest of silences between them during which neither of them dared move. "I uh... I didn't realise you uh..." She cut off and looked down towards where her hand was still lying.  
Nick shifted slightly, "Uh yeah..." He coughed, clearing his throat,  
Another silence.  
"You do?"  
He again cleared his throat, "Hey, you think they're gonna get us out of here soon?"  
She sat up placing the piece of cotton on the floor, the cut having finally stopped bleeding. "Its only been about 10 minutes so probably not." She said almost apologetically. As she spoke he tried to move back a little but failed to do anything as his back immediately hit a block of rubble. He didn't even have the room to spread his legs out. Sara stared at him for a few second before moving her head back in a vain attempt to stretch her neck. It actually worked but unfortunately a dull thud sounded as her head hit the wooden step behind her.

Instinctively Nick leaned forwards and grabbed her head, holding it, "Damn!" She frowned scrunching her eyes up.  
"God Sara, you okay?" He asked pulling her forwards again, rubbing her head.  
"God they better hurry." She whimpered leaning again on his chest. When he looked down again he could see her eyes were open and she was staring ahead of her, maybe he should say something. When he looked down again she was staring at him, he gave her a small smile trying to ignore the ache in his groin which was at least fading.  
They both looked up together as they heard a voice of someone shouting, "We're nearly through." Nick smiled, "That's good huh?"  
"Yeah." She nodded sitting up a bit.  
She was still much too close, god he could smell her shampoo, Nick closed his eyes praying that this situation was over soon, when he opening them Sara was still staring at him. He touched her face where it was covered in chalk and withdrew his hand quickly.  
Jeese she wouldn't quit staring.  
He tried to ignore it but suddenly she was a lot closer than she had been, he swallowed loudly as they locked eyes again for what felt like the millionth time.

Their lips were almost touching before a few splinters of wood fell upon them and a beam of light shone through a small hole.

Just his luck.

"You guys okay?"

There were a number of expressions that came to mind and 'Okay' just didn't do them justice. He smiled, "Great thanks."

"Just fucking great." He mumbled.


	2. In which Nick's day goes terribly wrong

**A/N:** Okay I guess I'd better carry on writing then, most of this IS written on the tube and for those of you who have ever been stuck on any underground let alone the London Underground, you'll know that you see a LOT of weirdos, so I have that to thank for my loopy state of mind :).  
I also have 4 hours of sleep in two days to thank for that to so please if you notice any inconsistencies etc LET ME KNOW! I gotta get myself a proof reader!

Thank you SO much for reviewing you guys all ROCK! You're bloody awesome! Oh and final note (I promise) I'm sorry if things sound a bit too English, I'm trying to 'Americanise' myself lol!

Enjoy!

**Temptation Waits**

**Chapter 2**

**So that was it, the beginning of our 'saga', the epic...  
Actually this was the beginning of nearly 3 weeks of torment.  
She really doesn't realize how sexy she is. She doesn't. She has no idea about the effect she has on me, well okay so I hope she had a fair idea I'd just spent ages in a hole with her whilst she practically sat on my waiting erection. **

I actually thought she'd forgotten the whole sorry incident, I mean it's not like she mentioned it again and the following day when we came into work and were getting our next case, everything was fine, peachy. Of course she still got me horny but hey she didn't look like she wanted to run a mile when she saw me and that had to be a good thing right?  
Right?

* * *

"Good work on the arson yesterday guys." Grissom said appreciatively in Nick's then Sara's direction. Sara nodded staring down at the floor, Nick just smiled back, his eyes flickering over to Sara briefly. "So we've got a hit and run outside the Hilton, Cath can you take that?" Catherine smiled and took the paper standing up.  
"I'm there, later guys!"  
Nick sighed and leaned his chin on his fist staring down the hallway after Catherine, "Warrick I think you can take this one, bones uncovered in a sand pit in the park two blocks away."  
"Ooh, nasty!" He said tacking the slip then reaching for his coffee.  
"What about me?"  
Nick honed in on the voice and looked over to the younger spiky haired male, he'd failed to notice Greg sat in the corner. "You're with me Greg, I'll explain in a minute." Grissom said, Greg followed with a nod then looked back down at whatever it was he was fiddling with.  
"What Nicky and Sara get?" Warrick asked.  
"They get a body in the desert."  
"Oh man good luck guys it's hot out there!" Warrick said placing his empty cup in the sink and walking off.**

* * *

****Yeah I know huh? Out of a possible 5 people I get put with Sara again but I was determined to put yesterday behind me and went into this full of optimism and with an open mind. **

**It was the quietest drive of my life.**

**Detective Vega was stood waiting for us along with a few officers and as we started processing the area and the body we still hadn't said a single word to each other. I mean I guess that's not too bad, at least we weren't arguing or anything.**

**Jeese what am I saying? It was dreadful.  
You know when you're little and you knock that priceless vase over and your mom just stares at you, you _know_ you're in for it right? Or when your girlfriend comes out of the changing room with the usual: Does this make me look fat? Of course being men we have to look, the fact that we even look is wrong then you get this look in return and you know you're not getting any for the next week.  
It was like that.**  
**That creepy feeling that pretty soon they are gonna snap at you or in the case of your girlfriend; grab you balls and leave you paralysed for a week.**

**When I heard her voice, I was actually waiting for her to grab my balls. **

Okay so maybe I was wishful thinking but I was waiting for her to say something. You know; how could I ruin our friendship? What was wrong with me?

* * *

"Did you know Catherine and Rick went out last night?"  
**

* * *

Okay that? I was _not_ expecting.**

* * *

"Oh?"  
"Yeah they went out for dinner." She said looking closely at something before tweezering it and putting it in an evidence bag sealing it and signing it.  
"Oh." **

* * *

That was pretty much the whole conversation, a weird one and short to say the least but nevertheless it was a conversation. ****By the time we were done and back in the Tahoe, we still hadn't made much headway on talking, we were hot, drenched in sweat and tired.**

**And Sara had honestly never looked so sexy to me.**

**I swear, and it was NOT helping me or my situation. I was supposed to be putting it out of my mind but of course she had to end up taking her CSI body vest off to reveal that she was wearing a tank top that made me want to take her somewhere private and do something nasty to her and to top it all, she then proceeded to tie her hair up in the messiest, sexiest bun ever.  
I had to send a mental kick to Grissom, how could he do this to me? Two days in a row. I now had to drive back to CSI, getting hotter by the minute with Sara sat beside me, all these bits of hair falling down over her face and this tank top on which just put all these images in my head...**

* * *

"Is there something wrong Nick?" Sara asked staring over at him.  
"Pardon me?" He asked glancing at the road then back at Sara.  
She frowned, "You keep staring at me."  
"I do?" He asked staring at her again.  
"You do, you're doing it now."  
"Oh right." He looked away and then back again. "I can't say that I am."  
She nodded, "Again, road Nick." She said pointing as a car overtook them on the long desert road. Nick gripped the steering wheel harder and focused on the road. "Is this because of yesterday?"  
He had to look over again, only a quick glance this time. "Yesterday?"  
"Yeah..."  
She took her eyes off the road herself and looked over at him this time, he was doing his best to ignore her and started fiddling with the radio. They were quiet for a while as Nick flicked around the stations before speaking up, "You know I could very well say the same for you."  
"Huh?" She asked.  
"You're staring."  
He found it hard to hide the smirk as she flushed red and looked away. "You brought it up." He laughed.  
"And now I'm dropping it,"

A few minutes went by before he heard her sigh and look back over, "And I wasn't staring, I was waiting for an answer."  
He nodded and turned the air-con up another notch. "Sure you were, but you were staring whilst you waited for it."  
"God Nick I swear sometimes..."  
"Sometimes what?"  
"Would you just answer me?"  
He frowned, "About what?"  
"Why you ignored me the whole way down here." She said exasperatedly,  
Nick sent a glance over in her direction, "I didn't ignore you, I was being quiet, there's a difference and anyway you talk about me ignoring you? Well you haven't so much as looked at me since ye..." He went quiet and put his eyes back on the road. Well his eyes went halfway down her chest then back on the road.  
"So it _was_ about yesterday?"  
"I didn't say that."  
"Yes you did."

A silence descended on the car again and Nick could see out of the corner of his eye that Sara had the smallest of smiles playing on her lips. He sighed and pulled the car over.  
"What... Nick what are you playing at?"  
"What is it? Just tell me okay? Is it me? It is right?"  
She raised her eyebrows, "Which one did you want me to answer first?"  
He looked aggravated. "Look I'm sorry I had a reaction to you practically groping my crotch okay? You hardly helped matters by doing that... thing."  
She burst out laughing, "Groping your crotch? Thing? Nick please just start the car so we can get back." He paused staring at her before letting out a frustrated sigh and started the engine up again. After a few seconds Sara's voice spoke up once more, "What thing exactly?" She teased.  
"Sara..." He warned.  
"I just wondered." She said holding her hands up.

**

* * *

For the whole way home she had this tinysmirkon her face, it was surprising to say the least, I mean Sara is probably the shyest person I know; you tell her she looks nice and she looks ready to curl up and die.  
Yet stick her in a car in an embarrassing situation and apparently that all goes out the window.  
As I drove I made a silent plan of action, which probably gave me the look of a constipated Emu but I had to concentrate, distraction was _not_ working well for me and she was starting to get _very_ distracting.  
No, I needed a plan so I could avoid her long enough for me to get over this 'thing' I was fast developing. I mean it's not like I was embarrassed, I really couldn't care but what was kind of getting to me was that I wanted her more than I cared to say and she was... well she had this whole Grissom thing going on still I was sure and let's just say that I was not her type. It would just be easier on me if I avoided her.  
****  
This was my plan: get through the shift as quickly and quietly as possible.  
Okay that was a crap plan but I figured as long as I could busy myself I could probably get away with not even talking to her. **

And hey the bad plan always worked the best in the movies.

As plans go it turns out that it was the worst one I'd ever constructed.  
And my life is no movie.

* * *

"So you're avoiding me now?"  
Nick gave an audible sigh and leaned his hand against the shelf of his open locker, "No Sara I was trying to get a hold of the deceased guy's family."  
He could sense she was moving closer and went about changing his shirt as was his previous plan, Sara appeared at his side leaning on one of the lockers, a frown etched across her brow, "Can I ask you something?"  
"Sure." He pulled the dirty shirt off and threw it to the back of his locker before reaching for the new one.  
"Yesterday." She began here eyes travelling very briefly over his chest, an action which Nick failed to miss.  
"What about it Sara?" He asked.  
"What was that all about?"  
"You know what curiosity did to the cat?  
"Nick that's not funny... Nick we nearly... I..."  
Sighing, he put the shirt down turning to her, "Sara you ever think that you're too serious?"  
"_Me?_" She spluttered. "How can you say I'm too serious?"  
Nick shrugged, "Simple really... you think too much and you do have a tendency to over analyse things."  
"I do not over analyse." She fought back.  
"Sure you do, yesterday was just... a reaction, and you practically grabbed my crotch"  
She crossed her arms, "Nick I did not grab your crotch."  
"I said practically." He said in defence.  
"And I was concussed." She added through gritted teeth.  
"You still nearly..."  
"Whatever, so that's all it was? The fact that we nearly kissed was _just_ that?"  
He frowned not entirely sure what she was getting at, "What are you getting at?"  
"God never mind."  
Having completely forgotten about changing his shirt, Nick turned to face Sara frowning slightly and unsure what to say. "What were you..." He pressed.  
"Nothing I just wondered." She pushed herself away from the lockers but stopped as he moved to stand in front of her,  
"So did I." He retorted matter-of-factly.

She leaned back onto the lockers seeing as she couldn't go anywhere else; Nick having blocked her way, well a shirtless Nick having blocked her way. "I just wondered, I mean you're a man god knows you can't control even the simplest of hand movements let alone your brain and other parts of your anatomy..." She cut herself off and shook her head, "Nick I need to get back to Hodges."  
Nick leaned further into her, leaning one arm against the locker near her head, "See now that hurts that you think I have no control and that you'd rather get back to Hodges than continue this oh so wonderful conversation."  
She slid out from under him trying desperately not to think about how good his chest looked and how much she wanted to touch it, and stepped over the bench shaking her head, "I never said _you_ have no control, I just meant men in general." She walked over to the door opening it, before the door closed on her she turned back hearing Nick's voice as he pulled his clean shirt on and walked after her,  
"Just so that you know? I meant what I said."  
She frowned, "About what?"  
"You _do_ over analyse things..."**

* * *

Okay I know I was lying there and being kind of mean but I had to throw her off the 'scent' andthere was no way I was about to tell her what was really going on. I mean I can imagine the conversation now;  
****  
"Hey the real reason that I got hard and nearly kissed you is because I've been dreaming about you for months and wishing I was hitting the sack with you every night instead of going home to my empty cold bed."  
"What? Nick you're insane, get away from me I never want to see you again." **

Whilst I admit that that was slightly over exaggerating, I feel I could safely predict that the conversation would go something like that although in my head she'd swoon and fall into my arms and then we'd well... yeah, you know like in the movies, but hey I'd already realised once today that my life was no movie.

* * *

"God damn it." Nick rifled around in his pockets for his keys he was _sure_ that he had put them in his pocket but now as he stood at his car door it appeared that he hadn't. He sighed and put his kit down before opening it, he had managed to get most of his stuff out before a pair of black boots came to a stop right next to him, he followed the legs upwards but instantly knew who they belonged to. Sighing, Nick stuffed everything back into his kit.  
"Looking for these?" Sara held his keys out to him smiling slightly.  
With yet another sigh, Nick pushed himself up, "Where were they?"  
"The break room table."  
He nodded holding his hand out, "Thanks Sar." He nodded, taking them and walking round the Tahoe opening the back up and throwing his kit in before walking back round to where Sara was stood. "You heading home?" He asked.  
"Yeah." They both stood in silence for a few seconds before she spoke up again, "I don't over analyse everything."  
Nick paused, "Sara I didn't mean everything I just meant sometimes, it was a simple comment..."  
"One that I didn't expect from one of my best friends."  
That shocked him. Well not shocked him as _such_, "I'm one of your best friends?"  
She frowned then shrugged, "I... I'll see you tomorrow Nick."  
He automatically reached out and grabbed her arm, "Sara wait I didn't mean to..." As she turned back to face him, his hand was still on her arm which he snatched back quickly and let his gaze fall to his car keys.  
There was a silence between them before Sara spoke up again;  
"Why won't you look at me any more?"  
He frowned and stared up at her chin, "Earlier you accused me of staring."  
"Yeah you stare but not at _me_." She said simply, "And you won't touch me or..."  
"Touch you?" He asked.

Jesus this was really not the time to be discussing this.

"You refuse to look me in the eye and... is everything okay?"  
"No." He shook his head, "I mean yes, Sara everything is fine."  
She motioned towards him, "Nick you're doing it now, I mean you've been cold for weeks and then yesterday, when you... well I just... I'm confused. And no before you say it, this is _not_ me over analysing."**

* * *

Okay we are probably all in agreement that this could have gone one of two ways and if it wasn't for the words that she was about to utter, I would probably have brushed it off, told her she was being absurd and that there was nothing wrong but as it happens she had to say it...**

* * *

"Did I do something wrong?"  
"No I..." Nick looked up at her then scratched his head. "I..."  
"What?"  
"I like you." **

* * *

Yeah I know, a man in his thirties and I still sound like I belong in high school. I mean jeese... _I like you?_ You have my utter permission to laugh at me. I really wouldn't blame you.  
In my defence though I had to say _something_, I mean she thought she'd done something wrong, I just really wish I'd worded it differently.**

So, we both just stood there for an eternity, during which neither of us spoke or moved or did anything other than stare at each other.

* * *

"I need to get home Sara."  
"Oh, okay..." She nodded seeming to understand.  
Nick pulled open the car door and stepped in "I'll see you later." He said quietly.  
"Nick..." She blurted silently cursing herself for sounding too desperate.  
He turned to face her again, "Yeah?"  
"Nothing, I'll see you tonight." **

* * *

As it turned out I wouldn't see her that night because she had the night off, and Wednesday was my night off so I guess I timed it just right because by the time I got back to work on the Thursday night everything would be forgotten and Sara and I would be able to work together without fear of any repercussions.**

**Of course life never runs that smoothly.**

* * *

"Hey Nicky!"  
Nick looked up seeing Catherine and Warrick walk into the locker room. "Hey guys, what's up?"  
Catherine sighed and opened her locked throwing a few things inside before checking her lipstick in the small mirror, "Nothing much."  
Nick glanced at them both before shaking his head, "Let me take a wild guess..."  
"Wild would be about right Nicky." Catherine smirked slamming her locker door closed, "I'll see you guys in break room." As the door swung shut Nick looked at Warrick who was scratching his chin in an attempt to hide the cocky smirk on his lips.  
"How do you do it man?" Nick griped.  
"I dunno what you mean, so Nicky how was your day off?"  
His friend shook his head, "Don't change the damn subject I mean jeese Rick you think we're stupid?"  
Warrick laugh and Nick couldn't help but crack one himself, as they did the door pushed open again and Sara walked in immediately stopping upon hearing them laughing. If Nick knew Sara as well as he thought he did she was probably wondering if they'd been laughing at her. "Hey Sidle!" Warrick grinned hooking his arm round her shoulders and giving her a hug.  
She smiled at them both, "Hey,"

Her eyes flickered briefly at Nick and he couldn't help but stare at her she was wearing small sparkly stud earrings, not something she usually wore, they brought his attention to her neck off of which hung a necklace with a small tear-drop shaped clear stone. He couldn't stop the frown that graced his face as he then noticed her eyes had a pale shade of pink on them with eye-liner and mascara framing them. If it were at all possible she looked more beautiful than ever but he couldn't help the nagging voice in the back of his mind that was wondering why she was 'dressed up.'

What if she had a date?

As she lent down towards the bench sitting down, she shrugged off her jacket and dumped her things down on the bench next to her.  
"You still thinking about last night?" Warrick asked her seriously.  
"Nah." She lied.  
"Sara you know we did what we could..."  
"Warrick I'm fine." She said forcing a laugh.  
He nodded, "I'ma go catch up with Greggo I'll catch you guys in a bit."

The door once more swung closed leaving Sara sat on the bench staring down at her hands, she grabbed her bag and busied herself with looking around inside it. "What happened last night?" Nick asked her staring at her eyes as she looked down at her jeans. "Sara?"  
"Oh nothing." She said, "Just a shitty night, long shift." She stood up and opened her locker pushing her bag inside and retrieving the things she needed. She jumped slightly feeling the pressure of Nick's hand on her arm.  
"Please don't be weird with me." He asked. She froze and he watched as her shoulders sagged slightly, "Sara?"  
"I-I'm not." She insisted.  
There was a short silence before she sighed and sat back down on the bench slamming her locker closed. Nick knelt down on front of her frowning: "What happened yesterday?"  
She shook her head, "You know what I'm like."  
"A case?"

A nod.

Biting her lip she shook her head again, "God I feel so bad Nick and it's ridiculous I mean I'm supposed to be over this shit already, there's newbies out there who don't even feel this."  
"Just because cases get to you doesn't mean..."  
"This guy beat his wife up so bad Nick, I _know_ it was him, there... there were torture marks..." She stopped for a second and played with her fingers, "God knows how long he'd been doing it for, I was with her when she woke up and she looked at me and I said I was there to help her and that was it the machine started beeping nurses rushed in... 2 minutes later she was dead... it was awful Nick, and we couldn't get anything solid... I..." Nick reached up and touched her cheek and pulled her forwards hugging her, rubbing her back gently.  
"Hey it's okay Sara."  
She leaned her head on Nick's shoulder letting out a long sigh, not really crying just staring at the wall feeling angry at herself that she still let cases affect her. As she pulled away she was frowning, "Calm down okay? You can't help that, Warrick was right you did what you could." He told her gently tracing a thumb across her cheek.  
Sara nodded an angry tear falling over her cheek; "I know but god!"  
"Hey stop that, don't be angry at yourself." He said tucking a few loose strands of hair behind her ears, "Plus if you keep this up..." he began wiping the tear away then resting his hand on her thigh, "You'll mess your make-up up."  
At this she laughed slightly rolling her eyes, "Like anyone would notice anyway."  
"I would." He said.

Her eyes fell on him again and they both seemed to realise at the same time that one of Nick's hands was on her thigh, the other on her face. Nick cleared his throat, "All I meant is that you know how could they not notice, you look completely different." Sara nodded her cheeks pinking ever so slightly, "So what's it... you know... do you have a date tonight?" He asked moving his hand to rest on the bench.  
"No..." Her face looked more puzzled than her voice sounded. "Why?"  
"Well you look well... nice..."  
She laughed, "Thanks Nick so usually I look bad?"  
"No I just meant..."  
"Relax Nick it's fine." She said slapping his arm lightly. "It's my way of cheering myself up I guess." He nodded staring at her eyes again, quietness descending on the room "You haven't done that in a while." She told him softly.  
"Done what?"  
"Actually looked at me."**

* * *

**

**I knew what she'd just said was true, I _had_ been avoiding looking her in the eye, when it started I had no idea but one day I found that it was much easier if I just didn't look. I just simply couldn't face it knowing that every time I did look at her, I'd stare past them and want to be in there, wrapped up in her, touching her. Of course it never occurred to me that she'd even notice or that it would bother her. **

I guess it did.

**

* * *

**

"I really thought I'd done something wrong." She continued quietly looking down at her hands for what Nick thought must have been the 10th time in five minutes.  
"I'm sorry if I made you feel... uncomfortable the other night." Nick told her. Sara watched his lips move as he spoke then focussed again on his eyes; licking her lips and unconsciously moving forwards on the bench.  
"You didn't." She replied assuringly.  
He nodded in return and shook his head, "I know I've been a bit of an ass..."  
"Yeah you have." She nodded playfully hitting his chest again; out of nerves or purely wanting to touch him she wasn't sure.  
As she hit him he caught her hand up and she slipped forwards slightly, her face much too close to his.

In fact if he leaned forwards he could almost...

Sara practically fell off the bench as an ear splitting bang came from the doorway and the door flew open;  
"YO DUDES!"

"Sanders." Nick griped having stood up and pretended to be looking for something in his locker, Greg walked in and threw something i his locker before turning back towards the door, "You guys might wanna hurry up Grissom didn't look too happy." The door swung a few times before eventually falling still.  
Nick busied himself with his locker for a minute until he was sure Greg was gone then turned round, "Sara you think maybe..."

He was staring at an empty bench.


	3. In which Nick assumes

A/N: **I am sooo sorry it has taken me so long but I had loads of assignments due in then I had Christmas and my family had World War 3 and then my computer crashed and lost nearly all I had worked on and well you don't wanna hear excuses LOL, I'll update soon promise!  
**

**Thanks SO much for reviewing guys it really helps! I have no confidence in my abilities whatsoever lol so it means a lot when strangers decide to read and review my stuff! Also I have spell checked etc but I have no beta so sorry if there are stupid mistakes that I didn't pick up…  
**

**Blondie: You mentioned that it was depressing because Nick appeared stupid but I wanted to get across the point that Sara has him so 'dumbfounded' that he's not thinking right and he keeps saying and thinking things that are just embarrassing him! But I will try to keep the 'stupid' comments to a minimum (this could just be my brain but hey).  
**

**Also this involves Griss being prob OC but hey...**

-

**With that over: hope you enjoy the show…  
**

-

Temptation Waits  
Chapter 3  
By LaydeeBear

-

**Before you start wondering when I got so long winded let me reassure you, I _will_ get round to telling you how we ended up at my house but I just need to make sure you understand the circumstances first. I will be the first to admit that so far things were not going my way neither were they working in my favour. After I turned round to see Sara had in fact disappeared I was annoyed at myself; yet again I'd lost control and nearly kissed her. Obviously as it turned out this worked in my favour later on because who knows where we'd be if I _hadn't_ done this.  
**

**I'm not sure if Grissom sensed something between us but that night he finally put us on different cases and you know this may have worked if it hadn't been for the fact that instead of concentrating, the only thing I could now think of was Sara.  
I had to talk to her.  
It appeared however that she didn't have to talk to me because by the time shift was over, she had already left. The woman who thought overtime was god was out of the building before shift actually finished.  
What to do…  
I was halfway home before the answer hit me and I turned the car around making my way to her house.  
As decisions go, well it wasn't the best one…**

-

"Hang on!" Sara grabbed a towel and pulled it round her body before running to her front door hesitating before looking through the peephole. _Shit _She took a deep breath before puling the door open a crack, "Yes?"  
"Sara."  
"Grissom." She said, "What's up?"  
"Can I come in?"  
She looked down at the towel; "I was in the shower."  
He nodded but didn't move, "Oh, I could wait?"  
"I uh, well… can't it wait until tonight?"  
"Well I just wondered if you'd like to have dinner tonight?"  
Okay this had to be a joke. "I uh huh?"  
"Dinner." He re-iterated.

She'd been waiting for this for ages and now he'd finally asked her… she wasn't really all that sure.  
"Well?" He asked.  
"Sure, I guess I uh mean when, what time?"

-

**I had to admit seeing Grissom's car outside her apartment complex wasn't what I'd expected to see neither was it what I wanted to see. I waited for a good five minutes and when he walked out smiling and whistling a semi-cheerful tune I decided to go home.  
As much as I want to leave this detail out my mother told me never to lie so whilst I drove home, I will admit that I sulked worse than a kid.  
Pathetic yes. **

**Justified? Most definitely.**

**I mean come on, he ignored all her advances and knocks her back, acts like he doesn't give a damn and then when she finally starts to get over him he asks her out? Well I didn't know that for sure when I went there but I guessed, well assumed.  
Well to hell with it, I'd kept things hidden for months now; I'd just push it down a bit further and forget about it.  
**

-

"They're BOTH late?" Warrick asked puzzled, "Sara doesn't know the meaning of the word late."  
Nick stared at the doorway knowing that they were more than likely together but pushed it out of his head, "Yeah well, maybe they got caught up."

As he finished talking his supervisor entered the room closely followed by Sara who took her seat quickly, not making eye contact with anyone.  
"Sorry guy's I've only one case, Cath's off tonight and Warrick you have your evaluation so Nicky, Sara and Greg can you go to the South Boulevard there was a body found in one of the rollercoaster carts. Brass is waiting for you there now." He looked at Nick and gave him what Nick was sure was a smirk.

-

**It was like he knew, I mean what the fuck was he thinking? I stared at him for a few seconds and when he eventually looked up he smiled at me. It made me kind of angry that just being around Sara couldn't make him that happy he had to take her out to realise it.**

**Fuckwit.  
**

-

"Nick!"  
Nick looked up startled, "What?"  
"Who you calling a fuckwit?" Warrick looked puzzled.  
"I… I said that out loud?"  
"No man I've become a mind reader."  
Nick scowled and pushed hiself up, "Have a good night," He said walking out, "I'll see you guys downstairs." He called out to Greg and Sara. Greg looked at Sara frowning, she shrugged slightly and looked down at her hands.

One hour and 57 minutes at the crime scene and Nick had been an ass for approximately one hour and 56 minutes of it.  
"Jeese Nick would you quit it already?" Greg asked.  
If looks could kill he'd be dead.  
"I'm just saying." Greg defended holding his hands up, "It'd just be nice if you could stop snapping at me, what the fuck did I do?"  
Nick's face softened slightly before he sighed, "Sorry man, rough night."  
"And morning." Greg muttered staring down at a small spot of blood that he swabbed and drew his pen out to label the carton.  
"Look…" Nick stopped hiself and rubbed his forehead with his arm, it was damn humid and all he wanted to do was go home and have a cold beer.

-

**Right then all I wanted to do was go home and have a beer. Instead I had to spend what totalled 3 hours at the damn crime scene. 3 hours watching a full head of curls bounce around as Sara walked from one spot to another and proceeded to bend over in front of me giving no regard whatsoever to the tight jeans I had on.  
And she hadn't even spoken to me.  
It sucked more than a damn vacuum.  
**

-

"Nick did you bag the knife?"

-

**Okay so she'd said six words to me.**

-

"Nick?"

-

**Seven. What the hell was wrong with me? All I could do was stare at her face. I couldn't even manage a noise.**

-

"Hey earth to Nicky!"

-

**God I love it when she says my name like that. For only god knows how many reasons, I still hadn't replied so she did what she always did to get my attention and I hated that she knew about it, I hated that she could get away with it and I hated the effect it always had on me.**

-

"Hey cowboy." Sara waved her hand over his face bringing him out of his reverie. As he focused back in on everything he saw two soft brown eyes staring at him and a toothy smile grinning at him, a tiny gap no less than 6 inches from his face. He swallowed, clearing his throat and took a step backwards snapping his gloves off. She frowned slightly, "Nick?"  
"Yes I got the damn knife." He scowled.  
She stared at him for a few seconds then snapped her own gloves off, "Fine. Just… fine. Maybe we'll talk later when you feel like having a proper conversation." She sighed shaking her head as she walked towards the car.

-

**Definitely not the effect I was going for. On the up side it meant that I didn't have to deal with… well with either Sara or the situationfor the rest of the shift. Only it seemed to have a longer lasting effect than I first thought it would have.  
In fact two shifts and another day off later we still hadn't spoken and apparently there was tension between us.  
Me being the bigger man (okay _and_ the one who started it all) I decided I would break the ice and smooth things over. All it took was an ultra quiet night and Sara's night off and I found myself parked up outside her apartment complex again.  
**

**I have decided I will stop having ideas.  
I mean I have the occasional illuminating mega watt ideas and they turn out well but you know when you have those 10 watt ones that just keep flickering out? Well I'd been having a lot of those lately and this was yet another joining the long line.  
He was there.  
Again.  
What the heck was going on?  
What is it about the guy?  
He is olding; balding, middle aged spreading and well just… look not to pull my own chain but I wasn't exactly hard on the eyes. Okay a quick check in the mirror and yeah you know not too bad. I guess I could definitely use a hair cut but I certainly didn't have a spare tire round my mid section and well I guess my arms were a bit skinny but… Well needless to say I went home yet again to my cold, empty, dark apartment that hadn't felt like home since I'd moved in after a brief episode with the psycho stalker from hell Nigel Crane.  
**

**I swear it couldn't have been more than 10 minutes before the silence in the apartment was interrupted by the dulcet tones of my pager and cell phone, the latter of which appeared to have 7 missed calls. It was Grissom – great. It took all of my restraint to not lay into him right there and then but hey I'm a nice guy and a gentleman and well he is my boss so I stayed quiet, dragged my ass off the couch and went into work.  
**

**I love my job, I ever say that? And there really is nothing like solving a good murder or two. Yeah sure I love my job, however 20 minutes later when I arrived at a rather… 'fresh' crime scene I wasn't thinking this, in fact it was the last thing on my mind especially as I saw paramedics walk away from one victim whose blood hadn't quite finished dripping. The smell of blood invading your senses is never nice and just as I thought that maybe it wouldn't be so bad, I found out there were two more victims upstairs, well 3 if you include the one that fell on Catherine as she opened a closet door. I figured my night couldn't get any worse, of course we all know how my luck pans out don't we?  
**

**Yeah my night really couldn't have got worse but I was still smiling, even when I got guts on my shoe I still smirked at Warrick's jokes and laughed at his and Catherine's banter. I was Mister Happy, that is until I stood up to get some air and body slammed a slightly weary and bedraggled Sara into the wall.**

-

"Jesus Nick!" Nick stood back letting Sara breathe for a few seconds.  
"God Sara I'm so sorry, you okay?"  
She blew her cheeks out and then let one loud breath out doubling over for a second, "Yeah I'm great thanks, jeese what do you weigh?" She asked, rubbing her chest.  
"Slightly more than you apparently." He laughed uneasily.  
As she stood up straight she realised how close Nick was and stared at him for a few second before biting her lip and moving to the side a little to distance herself from him. "Hmm, so you're talking to me now…"  
"Is it raining?" Nick asked taking in her appearance and ignoring her question.  
She looked up then realising he was talking about her hair she answered not before self consciously touching her soggy hair, "Oh umm yeah,"  
"Oh…" He paused then went to speak again, "You feeling okay?"  
Sara considered this for a few seconds before nodding, "Yeah, why?"  
"You uh…"  
At that second Greg walked past glancing at Sara on his way, "You look like crap"  
Sara raised her eyebrows, "Well uhh gee thanks Greg, nice to see you too." She turned to Nick, "I really look that bad?"  
Nick stared at her for a few more seconds before shrugging, "I got work to do." She sighed; watching him leave, at least he was talking to her now without biting her head off.

He couldn't help but notice the look in her eyes but he was still angry; how could she go crawling back to Grissom like that? He wondered the reason why she looked like she hadn't slept then shuddered at the thought of anything remotely sexual happening between Sara and Grissom. He wasn't sure if the shudder stemmed more from disgust at the way Grissom had treated Sara in the past, from disgust at the thought of his supervisor 'getting it on' or disgust because HE wanted Sara. But right at that moment he really didn't want to pay dues to the thoughts in his head and continued his gruesome task of trying to locate the missing body parts of the 38 year old female victim.

-

It was hours before any of the CSI's made it back to the lab for anything other than an evidence drop and even longer before any of them got to sit down for a much needed coffee break. Nick slipped a couple of pain killers into his mouth and gulped them down in the vain hopes of warding off the beginnings of a headache, just before he swallowed he was startled as a hand nudged his arm and a voice rang out behind him;  
"Any left for me?"  
Instead of spitting the half-ingested coffee out, he took a huge breath in forcing a large number of coffee drops down his windpipe and making him cough like there was no tomorrow.

Concerned, Sara watched for a few seconds making sure Nick was okay before smirking a little, "Guess I got ya back for almost breaking my ribs in half earlier."  
Nick rubbed his chest mirroring her previous actions from the crime scene and frowned at her,  
"Yeah, I guess you did." He griped before grabbing the coffee jar and filling his mug up and walking over towards the couch, slumping own onto it.  
Sara sighed before turning back to him; "Okay look, Nick **you** were the one who asked **me** not to be weird with you! Now you're doing it to me!"

-

**I'll admit she definitely had a point there but well... okay so I couldn't really come up with a reasonable argument, I hoped she might drop it…  
**

-

"What is it Nick? I haven't done anything wrong, we've hardly spoken for days and when we did speak you snapped my head off, you're treating me like I killed your dog or something."  
He scowled, "That's an awful metaphor." He said a deep frown on his face which she couldn't help but think made him look like a teenager.  
"Yeah well it's all I could come up with in 5 seconds." She paused to let that sink in and when he didn't reply she walked over towards the couch, her mug now full of coffee also.  
He looked down at his mug trying to ignore her presence which only served to make her smirk and move in front of him to sit on the table.  
"Come on Nick how long have we known each other? This is ridiculous, we're friends and you're acting like a child." She watched his face and couldn't help but think he actually looked hurt, not angry, as had previously been her assumption. She rolled her eyes, "Fine, whatever."

As she stood up to leave, Nick finally found his voice, "How could you do it Sar?"  
She stopped and turned round smiling in her confusing at what he'd just uttered. "Huh?"  
"Go crawling back to him after all he's done." Nick stated simply.  
"Uhh…" A few things went through her mind. Who had she crawled back to? No one as far as she could remember… Hank? Nope not a word in over 4 months. Previous boyfriends? Hmm none that Nick knew of…"  
"Grissom!" Nick prompted her, now standing up and pushing his mug into the sink before leaning back on the surface, his arms crossed.  
Ah there could be that of course… She looked at him and sighed, "Nick I didn't go 'crawling back' as you so delicately put it, we had dinner, that was it." Nick's scowl was back and he 'harumphed' before she smiled slightly, "You're jealous?"  
"Disgusted more likely." He muttered although the slight red blush creeping over his cheeks gave him away and told her she'd hit the nail on the head.  
"Nick what is your problem?" She pressed. "We had dinner, nothing else." She wasn't sure why she felt she had to justify her actions but she felt compelled to; Nick was her friend and she didn't want him angry at her.  
"Uh huh sure you did, that's why he's been round your house twice in what, a week? Sure just dinner."

She couldn't quite believe her ears at what he'd just said and she wasn't sure if she wanted to laugh or smack him upside the head.

"Nick…" She tried.  
"Come on Sar you have to admit you're…"  
"Nick, he came round asked me to dinner then left, we had dinner; it sucked the food was awful it made me sick."  
"Yeah then I'm sure he came round to make it all better right before tonight's shift."  
She walked closer to him cocking her head to one side, "Nicky I think the real issue here is what were 'you' doing outside 'my' apartment on more than one occasion and for long enough to notice Grissom coming and going."

He looked at the floor for a second and opened his mouth a few times to speak whilst meanwhile Sara tried her hardest not to burst out laughing.  
"Yeah I figured, so if you're done with the fish impression Nicky maybe you could lay off me. And for your information he came round tonight because I didn't answer my pager and he wanted to get me out to the scene."  
He opened his mouth once more before shutting it.  
"I just assumed…"  
She grinned at him and leaned over him to put her empty mug beside his, "You know what they say about assumption right Nicky?"  
He swallowed hard breathing in her light perfume as she leant over him. "Uh what's that?" He asked trying to keep his voice level.  
She looked at him, her face no more than a few inches away from his; "It's the mother of all fuck ups!" She said grinning and raising her eyebrows.

With that, Sara Sidle turned and walked out of the lab and Nick couldn't help but stare at her ass, which he was almost certain, gave a slight wiggle as she rounded the corner out of sight.

-  
**  
**

**Loved it? Hated it? Let me know! Don't forget to review!  
**

**Jen**


	4. In which things go right, well almost

**A/N: Hey guys thank you SO much for all your lovely reviews they really make my day and encourage me to write more! I am really sorry I haven't updated in so long and I hope you all still want to read and find this chapter as entertaining as before… I suffer from depression sometimes and have had a lot to cope with cuz my dad's really sick and stuff so I'm sorry it's just taking me a while to get back on track!**

**Please note: In my story, Warrick did NOT get married and he has no girlfriend… well so to speak… and there is a point to my random drivel in this chapter so please bear with me…**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything to do with CSI, or The Rolling Stones and their songs or Starbucks, Benjy's, Wicker Park (which I don't even know exists!) or well anything really…**

**So without further ado… on with the show…**

-

**Temptation Waits Chapter 4**

**By Laydeebear**

"Insanity"

"Definitely Insanity."

"I mean why on earth…"

Sara sighed and dropped her head onto the layout table, she hadn't even begun looking at any evidence yet and yet again she was talking to herself.

Well not really talking per se, it was more so incoherent muttering. She allowed herself the briefest of smiles as she thought about the effect she seemed to be having on Nick but the smile was fast replaced with a deep set frown.

What the hell was she thinking?  
This was Nick Stokes. Nick. Nicky!  
This was…

"Insane." She sighed again, the frown disappearing leaving her face strangely emotionless.

Sara let out a very frustrated sigh before she set about sterilising the table so she could lay her evidence out. As she worked she began to hum to herself, the occasional word falling over her lips; she could hear the faint sound of the radio drifting over from the DNA lab - The Rolling Stones – Brown Sugar. The song made her smile as she started singing properly and she reached for the fluid to sterilise the table. As she turned round, she sang a little louder, swaying her hips slightly as she then tied her hair up.  
The chorus came through the speakers and she nodded her head whilst snapping on a pair of gloves and going back to humming, her worry over Nick now almost forgotten, As she leaned over the table she let out a throaty;

"Ohh Brown Sugaaaaar!"

She laughed to herself as she stood up and gave her hips a little wiggle, turning round a few times.

"Ohhh yeah Brown Sug…"

As she turned once more she was mortified and almost bowled off her feet to see Nick standing in the doorway an expression of amusement adamant on his face. She slipped slightly as she brought herself to an abrupt halt and just stared at him trying her hardest to think of a good explanation.

"Uh…"

Her mouth snapped shut and she couldn't help but think she must have looked exactly like he had done half an hour or so ago. She cleared her throat and licked her lips.

"Uhh Nick… hey… so uhh what you doing?"

She was trying her utmost to sound casual and as if she had not just been caught 'shaking her ass' to The Rolling Stones in her lab coat. He grinned slightly,

"Checking out the view." He murmured.

If it was at all possible, Sara's cheeks went even redder than they already were.  
_View.  
_Sara sighed inwardly; How could anyone be checking out the _view_ when she was wearing a hunking great work issued lab coat which couldn't even make the sexiest man on earth look even remotely… well, sexy!

"I… was uhh…"

She frowned before the words: _To hell with it!_ Came to mind and for once she said what she thought.

"Nick, I'm wearing my lab coat." She commented dead panned causing him to laugh.

"And you look oh so good doing it too Sara!"

She raised an eyebrow, "Oh _come_ _on_ Nick that is…"

He wiggled his eyebrows before shrugging; "Hey I'm just telling you what I see." He grinned before continuing, "And anyway just the thought of you shaking your ass with or without the lab coat on does more for me than you'll ever know!"

She held her hands up signalling for him to stop and shook her head; "Okay okay…" With that she walked around the table trying to ignore the intense gaze he was shooting her. "So, I guess I should be thankful you're talking to me now." She looked up trying not to smirk; "Now that we've got it perfectly clear that I'm not jumping into bed with Grissom, NOT that it's any of your business if I was." She continued quickly.

They were silent for a minute before Nick spoke up again.

"I really am sorry I acted like a jerk, I had no right to."

"No you didn't." She replied giving the table one final wipe down and changing her gloves before reaching for a brown bag that contained the male adult victim's sweater.

"You want some help?"

She smiled up at him appreciatively, "I would _love_ some help Nick."

CSI CSI CSI CSI CSI CSI CSI CSI CSI

**You know it amazes me, _she_ amazes me.  
**

**How can one woman have so much brass and balls one second only the next she's retiring into a shell only to come shooting out of it again the next?   
**

**Sara, I mean she's unpredictable at the best of times to say the least. She has these bursts of confidence much the same as anyone else I guess but with Sara it's different, they accumulate themselves then when she has a burst of confidence and feels really relaxed you see a whole different side to her that you had no idea existed and well…**

**You can see why I like her right?  
**

**So she has these sudden bursts where she flirts and teases, sometimes mercilessly and needless to say it drives me crazy.  
**

**And then she'll go back to being shy and blushing again, which is absolutely adorable but it makes me angry. It's like she suddenly realises what she's doing and feels that she shouldn't be feeling that way or that she's acting out of place, I can see it in her eyes… And I know that she sometimes feels like she's not worthy of anyone's attention; that's why she closes up and goes quiet. It makes me angry to the point where I could drive round to everyone who's ever hurt her and hammer their door down just to kick the shit out of them.  
**

**But anyway, right now she seemed to be in a little burst and I loved every second of it, she was still humming as we stretched the sweater out on the table. And still humming as we started to look over it and lift trace from it's weave.  
**

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Nick smirked as Sara continued to hum, "So uhh… Brown Sugar huh? There something you not telling me?" It was her turn to smirk and Nick dug her in the ribs earning a quiet yelp from her, "You want me to get Warrick to help you process this instead?" He probed nudging her again.

"Oh lord!" She shook her head, "Nicky give it a rest."

"Hey I was just wondering." He laughed; as she laughed back he couldn't help but think it was the most wonderful sound he'd ever heard. "Unless of course you're talking about the _other_ brown sugar in which case you might want to go cold turkey before Gris finds out." Sara let him finish before giving him a death stare, which was half masked with a smirk.

After a few minutes silence he spoke up again, "You busy later?" Sara visibly tensed up and he wondered if he should have just stayed quiet but thought he'd at least try and pursue it anyway. "I was just wondering because Benjy's have this special on at the moment for breakfast; a new pancake recipe. I wondered if you'd wanna grab some breakfast?" He said clearing his throat uneasily; his mouth suddenly feeling like it was full of sand.

"Oh…"

Her cheeks had gone a little red but she was still smiling and she hadn't said no yet…

"That uhh…" She looked up and he smiled back at her noticing that her hair had already started to shake loose, "That would be nice, yeah."

"Cool." He nodded looking back at the sweater.

"Cool." She smiled again with a brief nod.

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It was with the heaviest of sighs that Nick took one of the coffees off of the Starbucks trays in front of him. The night shift was now well into a second shift and the promised breakfast with hiself and one Sara Sidle had gone out of the window along with the few suspects they _did_ have. He yawned a few times before taking a large gulp of the coffee; at least this would keep him awake, he looked at the clock, which if it was correct told him that it was 1:30 in the afternoon. He frowned trying to work it out; he'd been at work for…

Before he could work it out, the little minute hand stopped before swinging round in a circle, before it could settle it turned into a Mickey Mouse hand. Then, the whole clock jumped off the wall and started walking towards him on short stubby red legs that had sprouted from nowhere. It jumped onto the table and started shuffling along towards him, '_tick tock tick tock tick tick tick tick tick'_ It was stuck on tick and Nick jumped as it climbed onto his chest and walked towards his face, hitting him in the nose, now prodding him.  
"Gerroff…" He swatted it but it only seemed to make it tick more ferociously and prod his face harder.  
He tried to grab it but was shocked to hear it giggle.

Hold on, clocks don't giggle.

Nick sat up quickly looking around him, Sara was sat next to him at the table laughing, Greg sat opposite also laughing, and holding a spoon in his hand that he'd just finished poking Nick with.

"Did the mean old clock get you Nick?" Greg teased.

Nick frowned, he'd clearly been dreaming.

"Leave him alone Greg." Sara tried although she didn't stop laughing. "Although you do look cute with dribble coming out of your mouth and your head all squashed up against the table whilst murmuring… stuff." She mused.

Another frown and Nick swiped at his mouth before ruffling his hair, "Sorry." He said sheepishly, "I guess I was tired."

"Yeah me too." Sara agreed, "It's 3:00 nearly, I mean we aren't making much headway, there is far too much evidence…" She stifled a yawn, "And…" She stifled another yawn, "And well I'm tired."

"We already covered that." Nick said leaning back in his chair and looking around for his coffee, which Sara handed to him. "This sucks, it's not like we're getting anywhere."

Greg stood up, voicing his agreement and busying hiself with looking in the fridge.

"So much for breakfast huh?" Sara sighed quietly.

"Yeah…" Nick paused, "We could uhh get dinner?" He looked at her as a suspicious look appeared on her face. "Instead I mean…"

"That sounds awfully like a date Nicky."

He shrugged, "It's whatever you make of it." He looked casually down at his coffee praying that she would say yes."

After a brief pause she nodded, "Okay sure, where you wanna go?"

"Oh well uhh, we could go to Wicker Park? They do good vegetarian food there." As he finished, Nick was sure a look of surprise flitted across her eyes but she quickly masked it and nodded.

"That sounds good."

"What sounds good?"

They both looked up as Warrick wondered into the room.

"Oh um just food." Sara smiled at him.

"Oh I hear that." He nodded.

Greg made a noise of triumph as he pulled a bag of potato chips from the cupboard he'd just been routing through, "Yes score!" As he turned round Warrick grabbed them from him.

"Thanks man."

"Hey!" He frowned grumpily but then forgetting about the chips spoke up, "Hang on where were you?"

"Huh?" Warrick asked with a mouthful of chips.

Sara nodded, "You know, he's right you've been gone for nearly an hour, don't tell me you got a break cuz that's just wrong."

Warrick looked between the two before shrugging; "I've been in the lab of course."

At that point, Catherine walked in and made a beeline for Warrick, "Oooh yum I'm starving." She grabbed the packet out of his hand and stuffed a few in her mouth.

Exchanging looks, Greg and Sara walked closer to the couple. "Come to think of it Cath you've been gone almost the same time." Sara said crossing her arms, she heard a snort come from Nick's direction and looked back at him, he quickly busied hiself with making a new coffee as the old one had gone cold but Sara was sure his shoulders were shaking slightly with laughter. She turned back to Catherine who had gone a little pink in the cheeks but spoke up anyway.

"I've been in the lab." She said simply.

Sara raised an eyebrow and looked over at Greg. "That's what Warrick said." Greg told her.

"What were you doing in the lab?" He probed.

"Helping Grissom." Warrick said at the same time as Catherine also said;

"Helping Grissom."

"Oh." Sara nodded, "So uhh, you were BOTH helping Grissom." Sara said slowly.

"Uh well not directly." Warrick said, "I was doing something FOR Grissom." He tried.

"Yeah and I was…"

"Hey guys." Archie walked into the break room and made straight for the coffee, "Cath, Rick, manage to find that earring of yours?"

"Huh?" Greg asked as both he and Sara turned to him.

"They were in the locker room for ages, Cath dropped one of her earrings they were on the floor trying to find it." Archie said as he poured some coffee out, "I ju…" Before he could continue, Sara and Greg turned back round to find Catherine and Warrick had left the room.

"Oh man I knew it." Greg said as he set his mug down and ran out after them. Sara stared open mouthed at Archie then looked at Nick who was trying to hide a smirk.

"Did you know?" She asked.

He looked up from his mug, "Uhh know what?"

"Yeah know what?" Archie asked bewildered.

Nick pushed hiself off the surface and walked out of the room, "Uhh I'ma go get… locker." He said making a quick exit.

-

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As he walked into the locker room, Nick chuckled to hiself, he knew there was no way Warrick and Catherine would be able to keep their relationship secret much longer. He heard the door behind him swing open and he laughed, "Rick you know that Sa…"

"You _so_ knew."

Nick turned to see Sara staring at him, arms crossed defiantly across her chest. "What?" He asked trying to sound as innocent as possible.

She smirked and walked over prodding his arm, "You _so_ knew, you rat why didn't you say something?"

He jumped out of the way as she tried to poke his stomach and laughed as she followed him prodding his chest, then his arm eventually reaching his stomach as his back hit the wall.

"I don… hey… know what… ah… you're going… o-ooh…" he tried to shield his stomach when she stopped and laughed.

"Nicholas Stokes how long have you known?"

"I…" he stopped seeing her eyebrow arch, "About 3 months."

Her jaw dropped and she poked his stomach again causing him to yelp, "I can _not_ believe you!"

He laughed and jumped out of the way again, "Would you quit that?"

"Quit what?" She asked poking him again grinning.

He eyed her and smiled seeing the mischievous glint in her eye, "This…" He said pressing her against the nearest row of lockers and tickling her stomach.

"Ahh, Nick… ow... Nick…" She giggled breathlessly as his hands, "Hey…" She tried to stop him but only succeeded in knocking his hands out of the way so he fell closer to her. They both stopped laughing until they were both staring at one another, it was only when Sara finally let a breath out that both of them realised Nick's hands were gripping Sara's waist and Sara's hands were resting against his chest.

"I…"

Sara went quiet as Nick opened his mouth to speak but no words came out.

"So you knew?" She asked nervously.

He nodded but didn't speak.

A silence fell between them as Nick moved ever so slightly towards Sara, he could feel the heat from her breath. "Would you… would you hate me if…"

She swallowed, "If what?" She asked softly, unconsciously leaning forward herself.

"If I did this…" He murmured the words as he pressed his lips to hers.

Sara felt like she could melt as Nick pressed her back against the lockers their lips pressing more firmly together. She felt his tongue lightly touch her lips and parted them slightly sighing as his tongue flickered over hers and the kiss deepened. Nick's hands gripped her waist tightly and she couldn't help but run her hands up to his shoulders and neck then down his arms. She'd never been one to get caught up in a moment but feeling Nick touching her and so clearly wanting her; she just wanted to give into every desire she had. She jumped slightly as his hands slid down to her hips and felt a sudden sense of loss as he pulled back. He paused for a few seconds and she frowned reading his expression.

"What is it?" She asked trying to slow her breathing down.

Nick shook his head "Nothing…" he touched a hand to her hair.

The locker room door slammed open making both of them jump, "Nicholas Stokes!"

Nick sighed, "Greg…" He said under his breath, "…again…" He finished with a sigh and stepped away from Sara, busying hiself with his locker as Sara sat down on the bench.

"Nick I need information." Greg chirped.

"You tried the Internet? I hear that's good…"

"Nice try Nick." Greg said crossing his arms and looking from Sara to Nick then back again; "Sara weren't you looking at stuff in the evidence room?"

She smirked, "You won't get it out of him Greg I tried."

"Ah but we have an unspoken male bond." Greg said reassuringly, "Right Nicky?"

"Uhh sure Greggo." Nick said looking anything but.

Sara laughed, "Male bond huh? Well the female form is a much stronger influence on a man and I got nothing out of him." she lied. Nick couldn't help but notice how convincing she was and smirked slightly.

Greg looked slightly crestfallen, "Ugh I know there's something going on between those two, I just can't prove it, maybe I could follow them?" He muttered.

As they started walking down the corridor Nick laughed, "Yeah Greg that would be otherwise known as stalking!"

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He walked off muttering to himself leaving Nick and Sara in the hallway. Nick looked over towards where Greg was now stood talking in a hushed whisper with Archie, Archie looked fairly pleased with himself and the two soon walked off in the direction of the break room. He chuckled to hiself, shaking his head and turning back to Sara who was shuffling her feet slightly.

"So uhh…" She looked up at the sound of his voice, "Dinner?"

"Su…"

Sara was cut off by Grissom; "Sara there's something I need you to go over in evidence room 1 ASAP."

She gave a soft sigh and threw Nick a quick glance before following Grissom.

Nick was left in the middle of the corridor staring after her retreating form. He wasn't sure whether he should be smiling or kicking hiself. After a few seconds he was unable to control the smile that spread across his face and he walked off in the direction of the break room.  
"Now how bout that coffee."

-

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**So there we are I'm really sorry this has taken so long, I just kept changing things everywhere and I'm still not 100 satisfied but I really wanted to post this chapter… Just as a forewarning Ecklie still hasn't redeemed hiself in my books and as much as I love Gris, a story wouldn't be a story without some troubles ahead! Hopefully we get to hear Sarah's thought on a few matters too...  
**

**Y'all come back now ya hear!  
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**Liked it? Loathed it? Let me know!  
**

**Jen**


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